Flash-light apparatus.



0. A. BRADSHAW" FLASH LIGHT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR, 24, 1917.

Pai'ented July 31, 1917.

OLIVER A. BRADSHAW, OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO.

FLASH-LIGHT APPARATUS.

Application filed March 24, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OLIVER A. Bnansrnuv, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Philadelphia, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Flash-Light Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a flash light apparatus designed more especially for use by photographers for illuminating a scene or object designed to be photographed and in which may be employed as an illuminant highly combustible powdered magnesium.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a simple apparatus of the character which is easily operated, and second, to provide means for simultaneously actuating the shutters of a camera.

These objects, together with other objects readily apparent to those skilled in the art, may be attained by the construction illus trated in the accompanying drawings, al-= though the invention may be embodied in other forms, the construction illustrated being chosen by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the position of the ratchetand spark wheel actuating lever after same has been released.

Fig. 2 is an edge view.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a transverse section of the powder trough or tray showing a portion of the carborundum disk and the position of the spark producing body, together with the different parts belonging thereto.

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of the actuating lever or arm together with the spring arranged for contact with the ratchet wheel.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout all the fig ures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents the shank or what might be termed the handle which is formed of any desired length, reference being had to convenience in handling and operating. The top or up per end of the handle 1 is provided with the right angled portion 2 and the bent portion 3, which parts are preferably formed integral with the handle and provide suitable means for attaching the powder tray 4 and at the same time provide means for holding in proper position the bar or bolt 5,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Serial No. 157,120.

upon which bolt is mounted the ratchet wheel 6 and the carborundum disk 7, and for the purpose of holding the carborundum disk or wheel 7 and the ratchet wheel 6 in proper relative position with reference to the other parts, the jam nut 8 should be provided, or its equivalent. Upon the bolt 5 is pivotally mounted the actuating lever or arm 9, which arm is provided with the laterally extending catch-plate 10, which catch-plate is for the purpose of engagement with the trigger or release lever 11, which lever is pivotally attached to the handle 1 and as illustrated is provided with the hooked end 12 and the release part 13. Around the bolt 5 is located the spring 11. The arm 15 is held in fixed position, preferably against the right angled portion 2 but not necessarily so and the arm 16 is located and held in proper contact with the actuating lever or arm 9. lVhen it is desired to set the device for use the lever or arm 9 is brought into the position illustrated in Fig. 8 and held by means of the hooked end 12 of the release lever or trigger. For the purpose of holding the hooked end 12 in proper contact with the catch arm or plate 10, the spring 17 is provided, one end of which may be attached to the handle 1 and the opposite end near the hooked end of the release arm or trigger.

To the actuating arm or lever 9 is attached the ratchet wheel engaging member 18 which is preferably of the form shown in Fig. 5 and is so arranged that when the actuating lever is being pulled downward or set for action the free end of the arm 18 will ride over the teeth of the ratchet wheel without imparting any rotary action to said ratchet wheel or carborundum disk, but when the actuating arm or lever is released and is moved by the spring 14: the ratchet wheel and carborundum disk will be actuated, it being understood that the ratchet wheel and carborundum disk should be rotatably connected together.

At one side of the tray 4 and in close relationship therewith is located the spark producing body 19, which is held in proper contact by means of the spring 20 and the adjusting screw 21. The spark producing body 19 may be made of an alloy of iron and ceriom whereby sparks are produced.

The trough or tray 1 is provided with the slot or opening 22, which is located directly above the carborundum disk 7 and by so locating the slot when the spark is produced the powder will be ignited by the sparks produced during the rotation of the carborundum disk 7.

It is well' understood that the shutters of a camera should be actuated in proper timed relationship with reference to the flash light, and in order to provide means for so actuating the shutters, the actuating lever or arm 9 is provided with the extension or short lever 23, to which is attached the piston rod 24, to which rod is attached the piston 25, a portion of said piston being shown in full lines Fig. 3. The piston 25 is of course located in the cylinder 26. To the bottom or lower end of the cylinder is attached the air pipe 27, to which air pipe is attached the hose 28, the arrangement being such that when the lever or arm 9 is released the piston 25 will be forced downward into the piston 26, thereby forcing air through the hose 2S and actuating the shutters of the camera in the usual manner.

The arrangement for actuating the shutters is well known and hence no detail description other than above is necessary. In some instances it may be desirable to actuate the shutters by means of a wire or cable arrangement, and I have illustrated in a conventional manner the means for actuating the shutters which means consists of a cable or like structure 29 and a rod 30 provided with the head 31, which strikes the head 32 moving the same downward, said head being located on the top of the push rod 32% The rod 30 is actuated through the mechanism connected to the lever or arm 9 by reason of the bracket 33 which is attached to the air actuating piston rod 24, said rod being provided with the right angled-arm 34, which is located between the top and bottom member of the bracket 33, said rod being properly guided by means of the staple 35.

The means for actuating the camera shutters are described in a conventional way as it is well understood that the shutters must be actuated simultaneously with the flash light and my invention has more specific relation to the production of the flash light taken in connection with any well known means for properly actuating the camera shutter.

For the purpose of preventing the trigger 11 from being pulled too far by the spring 17 after the arm 9 has been released the stop pin 36 is provided and is connected to the handle 1 or to the cylinder carrying plate 37. For the purpose of steadying the bolt 5, the arm 38 is provided and is attached to the tray 4 or its equivalent.

I have described the disk 7 as a corborundum disk but it will be understood that other material of the same nature can be employed without departing from the nature of the invention as the only object designed to be accomplished is to produce a spark or sparks by which the powder is ignited.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the character described, the combination of a handle, a tray fixed to said handle, a bar carried by said handle, a spark ignition disk mounted upon said bar, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said ignition disk, an actuating arm pivotally mounted upon the aforesaid bar, said arm provided with a catch plate, a trigger for engagement with the catch plate, a spring located around the bar and provided with an arm for engagement with the ratchet actuating arm and a spark producing body located in contact with the spark ignition disk and means for actuating the shutters of a camera.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

OLIVER A. BRADSHAW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

